Paula Abdul and former American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the show.
NPR
Texas challenges shield laws by suing New York doctor who prescribed abortion pills
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit against a New York doctor who prescribed abortion pills for a client near Dallas, pitting an abortion ban against laws that protect physicians.
McKinsey & Company to pay $650 million for role in opioid crisis
The powerful consulting firm McKinsey will “accept responsibility” and pay $650 million for helping to fuel the opioid crisis, but executives will once again dodge prosecution.
What’s your surprise holiday recipe or ingredient? Here’s your chance to tell NPR
Tell us what your favorite unexpected recipes and ingredients are when cooking during the holidays.
Supreme Court to hear challenge to California’s authority to set vehicle emissions standards
Ohio and 16 other Republican-dominated states have sued, asserting that a waiver granted to California to set its own rules violates the basic design of the U.S. Constitution, which they assert should treat states as equals.
Jubilant Syrians gather for Friday prayers for the 1st time since Assad’s ouster
In Damascus, people stood shoulder to shoulder at one of Syria’s holiest sites, the Umayyad Mosque, in the first Friday prayers since Bashar al-Assad was overthrown less than a week ago.
Tech moguls Altman, Bezos and Zuckerberg donate to Trump’s inauguration fund
The donations are seen as the latest example of tech moguls’ changing stance toward the incoming president. During his first administration, Trump clashed with Bezos and Zuckerberg.
How to prevent drowning: a ground-breaking report that’s startling yet hopeful
The World Health Organization gathered data from 139 countries for its first-ever report on how to prevent drowning.
In the movies, villainous health insurers have been a chronic condition
For better or — mostly — worse, Hollywood has helped shape the public’s image of the health insurance industry in films ranging from John Grisham’s The Rainmaker to the Oscar-winning As Good as It Gets.
Will Luigi Mangione’s tipster get the $60K reward? It’s complicated
The FBI and NYPD offered up to $60,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the UnitedHealthcare shooting suspect. But cashing in on the reward is a complicated process.

